


The One with the Other Woman in Hotch’s Life

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Something More [5]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family, Friendship, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-07
Updated: 2014-10-07
Packaged: 2018-02-20 07:52:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2420951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had just been so damn long; Hotch was like a kid again.  Let’s hope he wasn’t a silly teenage boy when it counted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One with the Other Woman in Hotch’s Life

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://katewallace.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://katewallace.livejournal.com/)**katewallace** ’s prompt of **“Jessica says something to Hotch that makes him worry he’s getting involved with Prentiss too quickly after Haley’s death”**. I didn’t exactly stick to the parameters of the prompt but I think I did OK.

Hotch unlocked the front door, coming into the house with grocery bags. Jack ran to him with his Aunt Jessie pulling up the rear.

“Did you get fruit snacks, Daddy?” He asked.

“I certainly did.” Hotch let him take one of the lighter bags. He knew his son loved to help.

“But you forgot last time.”

The way he said it made Hotch smile. It was his mother’s voice all the way; Hotch could actually see Haley when he said it. It wasn’t accusatory; it was just a statement of known fact. If that wasn’t Haley, nothing was and Hotch felt nostalgic for a time that was long gone. It was gone even before she was.

“I didn’t forget, buddy, we made the list together. Remember?”

“Yeah.” Jack nodded and made his way into the kitchen with his bag.

He put it on one of the chairs as Hotch and Jessie came in with the rest of the bags. Done with his job, Jack went back to building his Lego warship in the living room. He had done a good amount this afternoon and knew his father would help with even more later. Then he could finally play with it.

“Is there anything else in the car?” She asked.

“No,” Hotch shook his head. “I'm just feeding Jack and I; we don’t need that much.”

“He’s a growing boy. When he’s at my place he’s like an eating machine.”

“Oh he’s the same way here. I just give him lots of fruit and granola bars. You're not letting him indulge in too much junk food, are you?” Hotch smiled when he asked. He knew Jack could convince his Aunt to give him almost anything.

“Absolutely not,” Her smile also reminded Hotch of Haley.

“Why am I not sure if I believe you?”

“I have no idea.”

They went about putting the groceries away, slipping everything in the right cupboard or on the right refrigerator shelf in companionable silence. Hotch was so glad to have her around but wasn’t sure how to say. He knew Jessie needed it as much as he did. She needed to be close to Jack and she gave Hotch the opportunity to continue working. He hated being away from Jack as much as he was but it helped to know he was being well cared for.

The three of them had become a little family and it was just as important to Hotch to keep Jessie safe as it was to keep Haley that way. He failed Haley; he wouldn’t fail Jessie. She put herself right on the front line. If something like what happened with Foyet ever happened again, and Hotch shuddered at the thought, Jessie could be a target. He had actually discussed it with her and Jessie shrugged. _Nothing is going to keep me from being there for you and Jack_ , she told him, _you’re family and that’s all that matters_.

“Hey, Aaron?” Jessie put the chicken cutlets in the freezer.

“Hmm?”

“Can I talk to you about something?”

“You know you can talk to me about anything. Is this about Jack?”

“Sort of,”

Hotch looked at her. He didn’t know what that meant but he was a little concerned. While Haley had been passionate, Jessie had always been sensible. That was probably why it was easier for her and Hotch to build a friendship than it had ever been for he and Haley when their marriage fell apart. If she was worried about something it stood to reason it would cause him to worry as well.

“What's the matter?”

“I never want to butt into your life, and I hope you know that, but Jack can't stop talking about Emily Prentiss. The whole time you were gone it was all he talked about. Well, that and his Lego ship.”

“Jack and Emily are very close.” Hotch replied.

“Who is she, Aaron? I mean I know who she is but…since when?”

“Since when what?”

“Are she and Jack very close? Since when are she and you very close? What's going on?”

Hotch hadn’t told anyone about he and Emily. It had only been three weeks since they said I love you and knew they wanted to be together. In that time they hit the road twice and went back to their normal BAU routine. There wasn’t much time for anything, especially contemplating just what in the hell it all meant. Hotch knew that he wanted to talk to Emily about it but he didn’t want to talk it to death. It either was or it wasn’t, and in his heart it was. Was that enough, he wasn’t sure, but he felt it.

“Emily and I are seeing each other, Jessie. I wasn’t keeping that from you; it’s just complicated. We've been friends for a while now and recently it’s developed into something more.”

“Are you sure this is the best idea?” Jessie asked.

“Jess…”

“Aaron, Haley just died.” It was still hard for her to say it. It was hard for her to think about but Jessie was a realist. Her sister wasn’t coming back no matter how much she wished for it every night before she fell asleep.

“That’s something you never have to remind me of. I can count the days.” He said. “Emily has nothing to do with that.”

“But you're still in mourning; you're…”

“I'm divorced. I've been divorced for over two years. Haley had seen other people and while I hadn’t, that didn’t mean I couldn’t. Do you see why it’s complicated?”

“I don’t want Jack getting hurt.” Jessie replied.

“Emily loves Jack; she loves children. There really is nothing for you to worry about.”

“Jack says you're dating her. I didn’t even know he knew what dating was.”

Hotch had finally drummed up the courage to ask Emily out without Jack as a buffer. He didn’t know why it took him so long. He could see her excitement when he said it was just going to be the two of them. Hotch got tickets to the Washington Ballet’s production of Swan Lake.

Emily loved the ballet and he wanted to do something that made her happy. She had been selfless in taking care of them; it was about time he did something just for her. She wasn’t the only one excited; Hotch couldn’t wait to see her again and not have there be a body, conference room, or entire team between them. Dare the man say he was giddy?

“I'm taking her to the ballet.” He said.

“OK.”

“OK?”

“Well, what do you want me to say, Aaron?”

“I don't know...you brought this up.”

“Well you were keeping it from me.” Jessie didn’t mean for the contempt to creep into her voice. She didn’t know why it did; he was a grown man and she had absolutely no right to be involved in his love life. She was concerned about Jack getting so close to another woman so soon after his mother’s death but Aaron was a smart man. He wasn’t going to let just anyone be a part of his son’s life. That was probably the reason, and him being a workaholic, that he hadn’t dated at all since the divorce. Of course Jessie also thought some of the reason was he still held a torch for Haley. Maybe he didn’t at all. “I'm sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Hotch put his hand on her shoulder. “This is a difficult time for all of us. Nothing is going to make it easier but time will dull the pain. My relationship with Emily doesn’t have anything to do with Haley and I don’t want you making those kinds of connections, Jess. Being with her brings me joy and honest to God I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to feel that again. I want to be able to enjoy every second of it.”

“I know.” Jessie nodded. “When it’s new, it’s amazing. Jack just lights up when he talks about her.”

“I know he does. It even surprised me how attached he’s gotten. I know some of it has to do with the fact that he misses his mother but it’s more than that.”

Jessie nodded again. She was about to say something else when Hotch’s cell phone rang. He looked at the display and a full smile covered his face. His dimples came out of their hiding place and he seemed to glow with happiness.

“Hello,” He said. “Hold on just a second.” Hotch put the phone on hold. “Jess, I'm going to take this.”

“It’s Emily?” She asked.

“Yeah. Are we alright?”

“Of course we are.” Jessie smiled though her heart wasn’t completely in it. “Go and talk to her.”

Hotch walked to his bedroom, stopping on his way to tousle his son’s hair. Closing the door, he went back to his phone call. “Hey.”

“What are you doing?” Emily asked.

“I'm explaining to the other woman in my life that I'm in love with you.” Hotch replied.

“Jessie?”

“Yes.”

“Hotch, I don’t want to…”

“Stop it; she’s fine.” He didn’t know if she was or not but that couldn’t change how he felt.

“Is she really?” Emily asked.

“Yes. She’s concerned about Jack but I eased her fears.”

“I should get to know her better.”

“You will.” Hotch said. “Everything that needs to be done will be done. Are you excited about tonight?”

“Yes, I am. I bought a new dress.”

“I can't wait to see it.”

“It can't wait to see you either, Hotch. Is Jessie going to look after Jack?”

“Mmm hmm,”

After dinner, Jack was going to take his overnight bag and spend the night at her house. That meant when Hotch and Emily got back they would be alone. He thought he knew what that meant but he wasn’t entirely sure. How could a man in his 40s be nervous about the implication? It had just been so damn long; Hotch was like a kid again. Let’s hope he wasn’t a silly teenage boy when it counted.

“I just wanted to call and make sure we were still on.” Emily said.

“Nothing could keep me from you tonight, Emily Prentiss.”

“Good, because I'm sure those tickets weren't cheap.”

Hotch laughed. He didn’t give a damn about the money. He knew that she knew that as well.

“I’ll pick you up at seven.” He said.

“I’ll see you then. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Emily. Bye.”

Hotch hung up the phone and went back out into the living room. He sat down on the floor with Jack, picking up a few Legos. Jessie was sitting on the couch reading a book. Hotch gave her a smile before focusing on his son.

“How's it going, kiddo?”

“This is going to take a long time.” Jack replied.

“I bet if we did it together it wouldn’t.”

“Really?”

“Of course. We’ll do some now and work on the rest tomorrow after I pick you up from Aunt Jessie’s.”

“Are you gonna catch the bad people, Daddy?” Jack asked.

“No kiddo, remember Emily and I are going on our date tonight.” Hotch started putting Legos on the ship.

“I'm not going?” Jack asked. “I wanna see George.”

“Well sometimes Jack, grownups like to go out together and do grownup things. Do you understand?”

“Mmm hmm, you want to kiss. That’s what grownups do.” He laughed, covering his mouth. “Daddy and Emily sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…”

Jessie laughed and when Hotch looked at her she swore she hadn’t taught him that.

“That’s it right, Daddy; K-I-S-S-I-N-G?”

“Well,” Hotch cleared his throat. “That’s not it entirely. Why don’t we focus on getting some more of this ship built and thinking about what we want to have for dinner?”

“OK.”

That seemed to suit Jack fine and he went back to building. Hotch helped and smiled thinking about being with Emily later. If he was a lucky man, and the jury was still out on that, there would be plenty of K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

***

  



End file.
